Ihumātao’ by Donna McLeod

Ihumātao

BY DONNA MCLEOD, TE ĀTIAWA

Our first born is holding the blue line. Blessed by mana whenua kaumātua, Kīngitanga, an eviction notice is served. Houses can be built on confiscated land, deals have been struck. Our first born is their visual might.

Our first born is still holding the blue line after the important people have left. Those left holding space have woken. They too form a line. Kanohi ki te kanohi. Our first born is their pou.

Our first born is holding the blue line, standing fifteen hours, no kaumātua, no karakia. We karakia. We hold him. Our first born is our heart.

Our first born is holding the blue line with Māori, with Pasifika full-face challenges of kūpapa, told he isn’t Māori, whakaiti of whakapapa, lectured on the Treaty. They stand as pou. Our first born. Puku stirs. Our first born is holding the blue line. He tells his cousin, who stands before him, he is proud of her and to be safe. He texts his sister, as she gathers koha, to dress warmly and bring him pizza. Our first born upholds our uri.

Our first born is holding the blue line. He carries maunga, waters, whenua, whānau, grew up knowing he was born holding te Tiriti. He stands as Māori. Our first born is.

Our first born is holding the blue line. He is a child of Parihaka. His blood runs with passive resistance. He is a child of warriors and men of God. Our first born. E tū, Tama.

Donna McLeod belongs to the Wakatū whānau and lives on her papakāinga in Motueka. Donna was at Ihumātao on 2 August 2019, the day her poem was featured as the Friday Poem on the website, The Spinoff. She is a writer and performer of Te Ora Haa and a member of Te Ohu Whakaari. She is published in Headlands: New Stories of Anxiety (VUP, 2018) and Eastbourne: An Anthology (Mākaro Press, 2013).

Image: Ihumātao 25 July 2019, Alika Wells, licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license.